Sheltered Lands

F I S H E R S,  I N    Most industries have trade associations and the industry I work in is no exception.  The National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (NAMIC) provides advocacy and education to its members.  For the past eight years, I’ve been very fortunate to sit on their board of directors - a truly magical professional opportunity. My NAMIC obligations are mostly fulfilled through in-person meetings in locations all over the US and Canada.  From many of these travel opportunities, I’ve added vacation days springing off onto personal adventures chasing down nearby Nature Conservancy (TNC) properties to add to the collection.  In fact, of the 82 I’ve visited so far, 17 have been related to trade association travels.   Thanks to NAMIC,  I’ve stood upon the sandy Loess Hills of Iowa,  hiked deep into Ramsey Canyon in Arizona,  walked to the middle of a tallgrass prairie in Kansas,  tramped through a savanna in ...

On Friday the 13th, I went on a killing spree.  My victims were hapless tree saplings and other ground vegetation.  Imagine a baseball bat with a 12 inch serrated blade on the end of it.  A homerun swing easily wiping out several saplings at a time.  Three hours of swinging that blade left countless victims in my wake, and was an environmentalist’s nightmare.  But actually, it was for environmental gain that I engaged in such a killing spree. Voorhees Nature Preserve and its three mile trail along the Rappahannock River are intended to inspire a visitor’s appreciation for nature’s awe.   Being located in an area of flourishing vegetation during its most thriving time of year, keeping the trail clear is a real challenge for me and my fellow volunteers.  After today’s clearing, I was as exhausted and blistered as I had been in a long time, although it was a very satisfying discomfort.  I just hope visitors over the next few days appreciate my ...